Means for steaming amalgamating-plates used in the recovery of gold from its ores



D. C. BOWEN AND J.

F. WALKER. MEANS FOR STEAMING AMALGAMATING PLATES USED IN THE RECOVERY OF GOLD FROM ITS ORES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-9,19l9.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

2 SHEEISSHEEI I.

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MEANS FOR STEAMING AMALGAMATING PLATES USED IN THE RECOVERY OF GOLD FROM ITS ORES.

APPHCATION FILED SEPT-9,1919.

1 341,333, Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

w We,

lllNlTlill) STATES TQPATENT OFFICE,

DAVID CHARLES BOWEN AND JOHN FAIRF) X". l/VA LKER, OF JOI-IANNESBURG, 'IRANS VAAL, Ml" tljfifit.

MEANS FOR STEAMING AMALGAMATING-PLLAILEEl USED IN THE RECOVERY OF GOLD FROM ITS-l GEES.

1,334,333. i Specificativn of Lettmiatwt ateHteo'I Mar. .23, 1920.

Application filed. September 9, nus. Serial. No. 322,742.

To all whom it may concern: from the serious consequences thereof. As Be it known that we, DAVID CHARLES the adoption of the invention insures greater Bowen, a subject of the King of GreatBritcomfort for the operators and allows of the a ale, and JOHN FAIRrAX TALKE'R, a subject work being done much more expeditiously of the King of Great Britain, both residents it results in increased e'lliciency. Again, its of Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, use effects a saving in the quantity of steam Union of South Africa, have invented cernecessary for the operation, as it results in tain new and useful Improvements Relating an even distribution and concentration of (so to ll lleans for Steaming l-"lmal ainatingthe same over the surface of the plate, and Plat s Used in the Recovery of old from withal the cost of installing and operating its Ores, of which the following is a specifithe arrangement is small, particularly when cation. considered in light of the advantages accru- This invention relates to means for steam- 111g to Its use. us ing amalgamating plates employed 1n the The invention Wlll be fully described with recovery of gold from its ores, whlch operathe aid. of the accompanying drawings tion is performed. for the purpose of softenwl1cre1n'- in the amal 'ain which is former on the Fi ure 1 is a alan view of that ortion of e b a b plate, in order tofaclhtate 1ts removal therethe arrangement which serves for inclosing from usually by scrapmg. or covering the amalgamating plate, to-

The steaming of the amalgamating plates, gether with the connections thereto and the as now effected, results 111 small quantities attachments fol-securing 1t 1n positlon above ofniercur bGlIlQ carrled off in the esca 3- the slate the slate and its su) )Ol'tlll ing steam, and thereby dispersed in the atfralneworlvv and the foot launder being niosphere. This causes mild forms of mershown in dotted lines.

curial poisoning and deleteriously aifects Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 on line the health. of amalgan'iators and other pen Fig.- 3 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on line sons ei'igaged in plate houses or buildings 1-. p

where such operations are performed. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the steam disso According to the practice presently adopttributing pipe.

ed, theplal'e which is to be steamed is cov- Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical representation erod, more or less completely, by means of i el vatio fth apparatus adapted for use a wooden box or cover placed over it and ith a ri of l t an d in th wellprovided with an inlet for the steam. The known n r in t o adjacent rows.

of COVQT (L179 usually P with Fig. 6 is a diagran'nnatical re 'u'esentatiou ELM-flit; l wj S0 Prevent the in plan of the arrangement shoum. in ll 5, osmipe of the steam, and retain it inside the ith th exllaugting 'mwns d oX- h wever, the joints so packed are .ln Figs, 1, 2: and 3 the amalgamating plate the only outlets for the steam, a large el. and the framework 2 carrying said plate cape of the steam into the plate house or are represented by dotted lines, and in Figs. building results. Except in particularly 1 andQ, the foot launder 3, into which the well ventilated 'ilate houses the atmosphere pulp passes after flowing over the mercury is badly vitiated by the escaping mercury coated. surface of the plate 1.. is also shown laden steam, and when. the cover is removed in dotted lines. J from the plate the evil is intensified due to In theaccompanying drawings we illusthe pass-ugh into the atmosphere of the steam trate that portion of the apparatus which hich retained under the cover and also to serves for, covering the amalgamating plate the re oval and. lmudling of the steaming 1, constructed in two parts or sections. This sacks, ct cetcra. used for the packing of the will probably be found the most convenimit M same. a construction for amalgamating plates of Now the object of the present invention is large dimeilsions, although it is obvious that to 'n ovide means wherein these defects are for smaller tables 1t may be constructed; as

i and thereby protect the operators a single part. i i a r Each section of the cover for the amalgamating plate 1, comprises a top part at, which may be in the form of a galvanized iron plate 'of suitable gage. and a supporting framework, consisting of an end member 5 and two side members 6, 7, which may be conveniently constructed of wood.

\Vhen the two sections of the cover are brought into position on the plate 1 they form or pro\ ide in'uneiiliately over the top of the plate 1, an inclosed chamber or space SWVhose width and length are pr; ctically equal to the corresponding (llll'lBllSlOl'iS of the plate 1, so that the latter is almost. com-- pletely covered thereby.

Between the underside of the plates -land the members 5, 6, T, of the supa 'iorting framework strips'f) of felt or any other suitable packing mat-erial'are placed to form a steanrtight joint. Around the edges of the plates '1 and on the top thereof there are. placed straps or strips 10., of metal or any othersuitable material, which. together with the plates 4- and the strips of felt or like material 9 are secured to the members 5, t3. 7. of the framework by the. bolts. icrews or the like 11. As seen in Fig. 3 the heads of the bolts 11 are countersunk in the bottom edges of the members 5. 6, 7. On the bot tom edges of the members 5, (5. 7, strips 12 of felt or other suitable resilient material are tacked or otherwise secured. \Vhen the cover is in position on the plate 1 these strips 1.2 rest upon the upper surface of the plate and preclude the'eseape of steam between the cover and plate.

Means are provided for making a steamtight joint between the two se tions of the cover when they are placed in position on the top of the an'ialgamatlng plate 1, to preelude the escape of the mercury laden steam through said joint. The means shown for accomplishing this purpose consists of a bar or piece of wood or other suitable materialll secured to the underside of each of those edges of the plates J: which abut when the sections are placed in juxtaposition. illtween the top of the pieces ll and the bot-v tom of the plates d, strips 12 of felt or the likeare placed to form asteam-tight joint between the said parts; and between the adjacent edges of the plates l. the adjacent ends of the side members ti. 7. and the adjacent vertical surfaces of the bars or piecesll. a-strip of felt or'likc material 13 is placed to forma Sttttllblllglll? joint between the sections of the cover. For the purpose of retaining the strip of felt 1 3 in position a strap or bar l t-is shown placed beneath one of the pieces ll and projecting under tli ipbottolii of said strip 13. is a piece of felt placed between the strap l-l and the bottom of the piece 11 to prerent'escape of steam between these parts. The bolts it; which serve for securing the strap 10 onthe top of the one section of the p ate 1. r-i'i'te also for securing the felt strip 12. bar or piece 11, felt strip 15 and strap 1+ to the. bottom of the same section of the plate -l-. l? are bolts which serve for securing the strap 10 on the top of the other section of the plate a and also the bar or piece ll to the unde side of the said section.

The sections of the cover are secured in position on the top of the amalgamatiug plate 1 by means of the clamping devices positioned at the outer ends of each section and at both sides of the joint formed between the sections. Each of the clamping! devices consists of a member 18, which '.u:\. be of U or other suitable section. which ere tends across the cover from side to side. The ends which project beyond the sides til the cover and framework 2 of the table, are slotted or bifurcated to be engaged by thhook-shaped bolts 19. The hoelsslniped e tremities of the bolts 1!) project under and engage with the framework :2see Fig. 3" is and have wing or fly nuts 2:) ricrewcd upon their threaded upper ends into engagement with the tops of the slotted or bifurcated ends of the members 18. These clamping: devices hold the cover down firmly on th top of the amalganratin; plate and by the strips 12 of felt or the like, form a steam-- tight joint around the edges of the cover and the plate.

Each section of the cover is shown proi'ided with two handles 21.. 22, at each side. The portions forming the handles are carried by certain of the bolts 11. Those bolts which carry the handles 21. 22, are longer than the others and tubular distance. pieces are placed upon them to rupport the ends of the handles.

The parts for making' the steam supply connection to the cover are shown placed near one end of the cover. At this point a bar 23 or piece of wood or other suitable material is placed inside the cover beneath the plate 4', and a strip of felt or the like Z-l. is inserted between the bar and plate to make a steam-tight joint. The bar 23 at its ends may be let into the side members ll. T of the framework. hole 25 is formed through the plate 4.- and strip of fell :24 and bar 23, and extending through said hole is apiece of pipe 26. which is fixed to the said parts by means of the flange 727 and bolts :2 On the outer end of the pipe 1-26 a socket union or other suitable connection 719 is provided for attaching thereto the one end of a hose or other suitable preferubl flexible pipe 30, which. at its other end is suitably connected to the main steam supply pipe 31sce Fins. 5 and (l. ()n the other and in ner end of the pipe 2(3 :1 T piece 32 is fixed and into said T piece 32 there are screwed the perforated steam distributing pipes 33. 3-l-see Figs. 3 and l. The other ends of ill! lee

ltlf) ll i lIll) iii,

ii i i the pipes Z323, iii are closed by caps. T116558 ends of the pipes 33, S-il are attached to the lseam :33 and plate the U-shaped bolts Fi 1 and As shown in Fig. -lthe steam distributing pipes 33, 34: are prerided with three lOWS oi holes to insure a more even distrilnition oil? the steam across cally the :liull width of the cover.

. paltor makilig the connection between the interior oi? the cover and the steam apparatus are shown positioned a; ogher end of said cover. The plate --lat this p it is addltionally supported on the underside by means of two bars or pieces I u-g ch are :ounected at their ends to the side members 6., 7 ot the iirainework. In the plate i: there is 'li'orn'ied a circular hole 2% and around said hole there is riveted shown) or otherwise suitably fixed a member h.) s hieh cit cylii'idrical. shape in its lower portion and flanged at the bottom For the purpose or" riveting); it to the plate l,

and oi truncated cone shape in its upper portion and flanged at the top for the purpose oi? attaching thereto or connecting therewith the one end of a hose or other suitable pret- 'ble pi .2 :1, Wh' at its other ltably connected to the main steam exhaust pipe In one of the end members :3 of the frameera-l: a hole 43 is preferably provided and nvenien't position, when the aver used tor any of the plates oi the 1 J rows. The cover is shown in position on one oi the end plates so that the end valve then opened to admit the steam to the cover, and the other valves are closed. ln like manner the exhaust pipe 453 is 'n'ovided with i siniiilar nuinher o't branche l or connecto; tlilercto the pipe ll'u branches id to which the pipe 323 is not attached. are (l by blir jl'lan 'w The main steam st pipe 2 e n acts see Fig. 5) with an n lurtion :fan wnose outlet or delivery pipe 5'1 serves for conveying; the mercury laden steam ontei e the plate house or build inn; and d'schar is into the open. 51. is a valve (For shuttin oil or regulating the passage :liroan the pipe to the inlet side of the l en 50.

instead of or as an auxiliary to the fan 50 a steam or air operated ejector 52, fitted with a. valve 53, may be employed. If both dovices are provided, as shown in the drawings, then a valve 54L will be provided on the pipe42 in addition to the valve 51, so that either the fan or ejector may be used independently of the other for exhausting the steam from the interior of. the cover.

In operating the arrangement the tan or ejector isput into operation and the steam admitted to the cover for a suitable length of thue. When the steaming oi? the plate is completed the steam is turned off, the flexible pipe30 disconnected, from the main steam supply pipe 31, theclamping device re- HIOVGd and the plug which closes the water drainage aperture Withdrawn. The fan or ejector is preferably maintained in operation during these operations. One of the sections of the cover is now preferably slightly raised to allow air to enter the cover to the (ZOli'lblIlitlllOIl with an amalgamating plate of a sectional cover therefor, means for introducing steam into said cover and means for exhausting the mercury-laden steam from said cover.

3. In apparatus of the nature indicated, the combination with an an'ialgamating plate of a cover therefor constructed in sections, means for making steam-tight joints between. the sections of said cover and between the said. cover and the plate, means for introducing steam into said cover and means for exhausting the mercurydaden steam from said cover.

l. In apparatus of the nature indicated,

the combination With an amalgamating' plate of a cover therefor, means for jn'laking i-iteam-tight ]O1IUJS between said cover and said plate, means for introducing steam into said cover and means for exhausting Inercury-laden steam from said cover.

In apparatus of the nature indicated, the combination With an amalgamating plate or a cover therefor, means for making steamtight joints between said cover and said. plate, means for introducing steam into said cover, means for exhausting the mercuryladen steam from said cover, and means for making steam-tight joints between the steam pipe and exhaust pipe connections with said cover.

6.; In apparatus of the nature indicated, the combination with an alnalganiating plate of a cover therefor, means for making steamtight joints between said cover and said plate, means for introducing steam into said cover, means for exhausting the mercuryladen steain' froinsaid cover, means for making steanitight joints between the steam pipe and exhausting pipe connections with said eoi erfand means for clamping the cover in position on the plate.

In Witness whereof We have each signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID CHARLES BOW EN. JOHN FAIRFAX WALKER. Witnesses to the signature of Dav d (haries Bowen:

L. A. GJNsBERo, K, M. SOURCE. \Vitnesses to the signature of John Fairfax Walker:

VIOLET VVALKER, JOHN AGAR. 

